Vernon and Gardening

"Is something wrong?" asked Harry, seeing the shocked look on Diana's face.

Diana shook off her surprise, thinking it best not to worry the boy with the information about the man wanting to kill him. Dumbledore even said he was safe, "Nothing, I just remembered that there's someone back home I should probably contact soon."

"Ok," said Harry, not entirely convinced, "So what brings you here to Little Whinging?"

Diana thought up her story on the spot, "A friend of mine knew your Aunt and Uncle…" not too far from the truth.

"You mean your friend is one of Uncle Vernon's clients?" asked Harry.

"Yes, yes he is," perfect cover, "I've been kind of overwhelmed at the office lately and just needed a place to 'hide out'," the last part is true, I just won't let him know how literal it is, "When my friend mentioned to your Aunt and Uncle that I needed a place to stay for a bit, they were only too happy to offer me their guest bedroom," okay, that's a downright lie, but it had to be done.

"It must have been short notice, because usually they'd have me worked to the bone making the house and the yard presentable," said Harry as he thought to himself something just doesn't fit in that story. But I can tell she's not a death eater, so I'll give her the benefit of the doubt.

"Oh, yes it was very short notice," Diana finished her story with a convincing smile.

Harry observed the woman once more, from her kind eyes, friendly face, her placid posture, "You don't seem the type to keep company with my aunt and uncle."

"I actually just met them; but as I said before, I wouldn't exactly call them friends."

Just then, Aunt Petunia's sounded up the stairs, "Boy! I said chores!"

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Diana spent the rest of the evening unpacking; she was able to hide her remaining Wonder Woman items in one of the dresser drawers. Luckily, whoever brought her clothes also brought a few basic necessities, such as her toothbrush, a few of her own linens and soaps, and a hairbrush. At least I won't have to impose on the Dursleys for those things. They even seem the type to throw it in my face if I asked for anything while I'm here. Unfortunately, they failed to bring any type of communication device, such as her cellphone or her computer. She'd have to find a way to contact her superiors and let them know that she's alright.

Around 5:00 in the evening, she heard the front door slam. Then she heard whispered voices. Petunia must be telling him about me. When the whispered conversation stopped, she heard a male voice bellow, "BOY!" What kind of brute is this man? She was not one to eavesdrop, but she didn't like the way that the man, 'called for' his nephew. From just inside her door, she wouldn't be able to hear what was being said, but she would be able to hear if there was any type of struggle.

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Harry reluctantly walked into the front of the house when he heard his uncle call for him. When he saw the man, his face was already a dark purple and the vein in his temple was already throbbing dangerously. What could I have possibly done now?

Uncle Vernon's words were a deadly whisper, "I want you to know, boy, that while our guest is here, she will be entirely your responsibility. You will serve her meals in her room and if she needs anything, you are to acquire it for her. Do not bother me or your aunt with it. Understood?"

"Yes, Uncle Vernon," said Harry.

"Now get back out and tend to the garden. It's ghastly. The neighbors will think we're Neanderthals."

"What are you talking about?" asked Harry in an emotionless monotone, "I already did them earlier."

"Don't lie to me, boy!" Uncle Vernon began to raise his voice, "There's dirt scattered everywhere and your auntie's best plants look as though they've been trampled on!"

Harry walked to the window and glanced out at the front garden. To his horror, were he had earlier spent several hours sweating over weeds and flowers and shrubs, the entire area was a mess. Some plants seemed to have been pulled up by the roots, "It wasn't like that when I left it. Dudley and his friends must've…"

"Don't you blame your failings on my son!" Vernon interrupted. He then grabbed Harry by the front of the shirt, his other hand opening the front door, and shoved Harry out into the yard. Harry stumbled a bit before falling down backward in one of the many piles of dirt in the yard.

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Diana was listening the whole time. She heard the uncle start yelling at Harry about lying about something. When she heard the sound of someone being shoved, she felt that it was time to intervene. Walking out of her room and to the head of the stairs, she saw Vernon slamming the door shut.

"Where's Harry?" she asked, her voice icy calm.

Vernon looked up at the young woman that was descending the stairs, "Listen here, woman, we've got no choice but to keep you, so…"

He was cut off when Diana spoke again, "Where- is Harry?"

Vernon was taken aback because the woman didn't seem the least bit intimidated by him, "I sent the freak outside to finish in the garden."

Without another word, she pushed past the large man and stepped out the front door. She saw Harry dusting himself off from his fall in the dirt. When he heard someone coming out, he looked up and was surprised by the determined look on Diana's face, "Come here, Harry."

For some reason, Harry dare not disobey her with that tone of voice. He was slightly frightened by the change in attitude.

When he was standing directly in front of her, she reached a hand up to his face. He flinched slightly, "I'm not going to hurt you." She took his chin in her hand, firm but not painfully so.

Diana moved his face in various directions, inspecting for bruises. When she found none, she asked, "Are you alright? Did he hit you?"

Harry was surprised by her concern. No one had ever asked if the Dursleys had mistreated him, let alone hit him, "No, he didn't hit me. He just pushed me out the door when I argued about redoing the garden."

"Why were you arguing about that?" asked Diana.

"I already did it once. But my cousin and his friends came along and ruined it but but Uncle Vernon didn't want to hear it."

Diana looked around and noticed for the first time the wreck of a garden, "Yikes," she turned back to Harry and gave one of her winning smiles, "You need some help? I've got some gardening experience."

It was even rarer that anyone offered to help with his chores, but Harry wouldn't say no to it. He grinned back at Diana and said, "Alright, if you're sure you want to."

Diana was delighted that she was able to get the boy to smile. He seemed sad and suspicious and possibly even angry. No one his age should experience those emotions all at once.

The next two hours were spent with the two in the garden putting everything back together. It was hard work; but for the first time ever since he had been with the Dursleys, it had been fun. Diana was such great company, and she was very intelligent. There were a few types of rare flowers in the garden that she was able to tell him about. At one point she even picked a couple of flowers and jokingly placed one behind Harry's ear and one behind her own. This caused the both of them to burst out in laughter.

"Nice accessory, Potter. You have a pretty dress to go with it?" They both turned to see Dudley and his gang watching them. The one who spoke was Dudley's best friend Piers. After all 'accessories' was too big a word for Dudley to come up with.

"Who are these boys?" asked Diana.

"The big one in the center is my cousin. The rest are his friends."

"Who's the broad, Potter? Can I have a go with her?"

Diana turned to address the unruly boys, "Excuse me, boys, but I know your parents must've taught you better than to talk about a lady like that, especially when she can hear what you're saying."

The gang just laughed at her before departing and leaving Dudley alone with Diana and Harry.

"Dudley, this is Diana; she'll be staying with us for a while," said woman just studied the newcomer carefully. He had yet to speak, so she hadn't formed an opinion yet.

"She one of your lot?"

"What does he mean by that?" asked Diana. She had an idea that that meant 'Is she a witch?', but she wasn't entirely sure.

"It's nothing. It's best if we just ignore him," she could tell he wanted to hide what his cousin really meant. It would be easier to just let him know that I know about magic and all that, but that would just lead to questions about why I'm here and that would lead him to ask why Voldemort wanted me and then I may have to tell him who I am.

Dudley lost interest in the conversation when his mother poked her head out the door, "Dudders, its dinnertime," Dudley waddled as quickly as possible into the house. She then turned to Diana and Harry, "You two had better not track mud onto my clean carpet…"

"But the house might do well with a little color," Diana muttered, causing Harry to bite his tongue to keep from laughing.

"My husband would like a word with you, Ms. Prince," she turned and went back into the house

Harry went to the hose next to the porch to wash the mud off of his shoes. He then wiped his feet on the welcome mat and walked into the house, Diana following. She met the large, beefy Dursley in the living room.

"Mr. Dursley, my name is Diana Prince," Diana said in introduction, with the same cool attitude she used the first time that she saw the man. She didn't put out her hand to be shaken as that could be misinterpreted as a friendly gesture.

"Ms. Prince, I am told the old coot that dropped off my worthless nephew on our doorstep brought you by to stay here for an undetermined amount of time. I would like to let you know that while you may be staying in our guest room, you are not our guest. The boy will see to your needs while you are here. You will take your meals in your room. If you must come out, then you are not to pester me or my wife and son."

Diana was none too happy with these rules, "Mr. Dursley, I realize that it was very short notice my coming here, as well as an imposition. But it appears that we are stuck with each other for a while. That being said, I will abide by your rules while I am in your house," Vernon gave a smug nod in satisfaction at her agreement, "However, Mr. Dursley, I expect you and your family to treat me with no less than the respect that any human being is entitled to. I expect the same for your nephew, too, "Before the man could protest, she went on, "There is not to be any use of the word 'freak' or any other derogatory word in reference to me or your nephew. And where Harry is concerned, you are not to be physical with him at all. That includes shoving, hitting, kicking, slapping; in short, keep your damned hands to yourself."

"Now listen here," he began again, but was cut off.

"I have some friends in very high places, so it would be in your best interest to take my words to heart, Mr. Dursley." That threat struck a nerve with the large bull of a man. While she had been referring to 'friends' as in her coworkers and superiors in the IADC, and, of course, Wonder Woman, though she wasn't available at the moment. Vernon, however, thought that she meant that her 'friends' were the type to sneak into his house at night and turn them all into dung beetles. Either way, he got the message; though he was fuming with his face a brand new shade of purple and the vein throbbing worse than ever.

She turned on her heel, flipping her hair around with an air of dismissal, and headed for the stairs before she turned around, "And Mr. Dursley, you may want to visit a doctor soon. Your cholesterol must be through the roof, and coupled with that vein in your head, you're likely to have an aneurysm very soon." At that, she left the flustered man to his rage.